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Ideas

Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge

Saudi Arabia is undergoing an extraordinary transformation, stepping boldly into a future shaped by innovation, creativity, and opportunity. Guided by Vision 2030, the Kingdom is diversifying its economy beyond oil, with significant investments in tourism, culture, technology, and sustainability. This national evolution is redefining Saudi Arabia's identity on the global stage, blending modern progress with deep-rooted heritage.
Across the country, ambitious initiatives are revitalizing cities and landscapes, honoring the past while embracing the future. Historic sites are being preserved, new urban developments are emerging, and cultural projects are flourishing—all working together to create a contemporary Saudi Arabia that is both forward-thinking and proud of its traditions. As the Kingdom grows into a global hub for art and creativity, it provides new platforms for artists, architects, and designers to contribute to its evolving landscape.
As part of Saudi Arabia's broader cultural transformation, the Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge, organized by Buildner in partnership with the Mujassam Watan Initiative (an initiative by Al Fozan Social Foundation), provides a platform for architects and artists to shape the Kingdom's evolving public spaces. Since its launch in 2018, this prestigious competition has welcomed creative minds from around the world to design sculptures that reflect Saudi Arabia's culture, heritage, and aspirations. These works of art are envisioned as meaningful additions to the urban landscape, enhancing public spaces and celebrating the Kingdom's identity.
This year's theme, "The Inspiration Around You," challenges participants to reflect on their environment and create sculptures that embody Saudi Arabia's unique story. Designers will choose from two distinct sites:

Ideas Competition to Convert the Choquequirao Citadel into a World Heritage Site

Objective of the Contest
• Main purpose: Achieve a project that manages to enhance the value of the Choquequirao Citadel as a secondary destination after Machu Picchu
• Specific objectives: To locate a quality hostel that complements the next Funicular that will be installed eventually (not necessarily).
• Expected impact: Convert the Choquequirao Citadel into a "World Heritage Site"
1st PRIZE :
• US$ 3500 + 2 travel tickets (two people) in order to participate in 5 nights accommodation in 4-star hotels in Peru with an internal trip to Choquequirao,
• Participation in the CHOQUEQUIRAO 2025 exhibition that will be held at a Institution in Lima, with an exhibition at the end of the competition.
• Keynote lecture by the winning architect, explaining his project.
Trekking route to Choquequirao
4-day tour to Choquequirao for two people
The most common way to get to Choquequirao is by taking a 4-day, 3-night trekking route . This tour can be booked online or directly at an agency in Cusco.

"Mieres Campus Reload" Ideas Competition

The engineering and transport infrastructure department, through the CITETRANS research group at the University of Oviedo, is launching its seventh international student ideas competition to solicit proposals for resolving a transport network issue, titled "Mieres Campus Reload."

Under the theme 'Architecture as a Politics of Change,' the call for entries to select the curatorial team for the XVII Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism is now open.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda (MIVAU), in collaboration with the Higher Council of Architects' Associations of Spain and supported by the ARQUIA Foundation, has opened the selection process for the curatorship of the 17th Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism (BEAU). The deadline for submitting proposals is March 3, 2025.

Howard Waterfall Retreat

The Howard Waterfall Retreat Competition invites architects and designers from around the world to reimagine a multi-generational family retreat that embraces the extraordinary natural and historical context of Howard Falls in Northwestern Pennsylvania, USA. This competition is a unique opportunity to create a timeless design that honors the rich heritage of the Howard Family while looking forward to the future.

Open Call: Future Climate Future Home Design Competition

Future Climate Future Home Design Competition - AUDRC

Theatre Architecture Competition

The Theatre Architecture Competition (TAC), one of the three competitions during World Stage Design (WSD) 2025, is open for entries from students and emerging architecture practitioners worldwide. 'Theatre of Possibilities' is the motto for this issue of TAC and the competition invites innovative ideas for a performance space that can maximize the use and value of a cultural site.
For this edition, the site is the courtyard of Bait Obaid Al Shamsi, a merchant's home built in 1845, located in Sharjah, UAE.

Open Call: Architerrax Design of the Year 2025

Overview:
Select between two categories that embody ATX Design of the Year. Whether showcasing an academic project or a real-world solution, this competition emphasizes innovation, creativity, and architecture's impact on meaningful change.

Portugal Vez River SPA

Located on the serene banks of the Vez River in northern Portugal, this competition invites architects to design a boutique wellness SPA that blends harmoniously with its natural surroundings. Nestled beside a historic watermill, the site offers a unique opportunity to create a space that reflects the tranquility and beauty of the region.

7th Félix Candela Award

The Félix Candela Award is a two-stage international architecture ideas competition conducted in Spanish. It is organized annually by the Instituto Español de Arquitectura (IESARQ) and is open to students of architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, and design, as well as young architects, landscape architects, urban planners, and designers, either as individuals or in teams of two to three members.

Deadline Extended - Call For Ideas: Tiny House 2024 Architecture Competition

Volume Zero and Tiny House Architecture Competition would like to express our gratitude to everyone out there for sharing some amazing support. This is to bring to your notice that the deadline for registration and submissions has been pushed a little ahead thus giving you more time to work on your entries.

Open Call: Project Hyperion Design Competition

Project Hyperion invites visionaries, architects, engineers, and social scientists to collaborate on a groundbreaking challenge: designing the habitat for a generation ship. This concept of long-term interstellar travel relies on a spacecraft capable of sustaining human life for centuries, requiring innovation in architecture, engineering, and societal organization.

Re:Form - New Life for Old Spaces

Choose a site—used, abandoned, or forgotten—anywhere in the world, and give it a new purpose!

Peja Culture Pavilion

The city center of Peja, Kosovo, hosts a historically significant site that has long been a focal point for community gatherings and social interactions. Rich in cultural and recreational elements, this central location, originally designed for leisure and relaxation, has been an integral part of the urban landscape. One of its most notable features is an ancient water source dating back to the 15th century, which remains under the protection of the Ministry of Culture of Kosovo. Despite its historical and cultural importance, the site has been neglected for years, falling into disrepair and disuse. This Peja Culture Pavilion competition, aims to revitalize this area, transforming it into a vibrant public hotspot.

House of the Future 2024/25

WHAT IS A HOME?

MICROHOME Kingspan Edition 2024/25

The MICROHOME Kingspan 2024/25 invites participants to conceptualize an off-grid modular dwelling that would accommodate a hypothetical young professional couple. This scenario serves as the benchmark family size for the competition. The total floor area of the structure should not exceed 25 m2, thereby encouraging participants to push their creativity and innovate within these parameters.

Richard H. Driehaus Architecture Competition 2024

The call for submissions for a new edition of the Richard H. Driehaus Architecture Competition, organized by the Traditional Building Cultures Foundation thanks to Richard H. Driehaus and the collaboration of the Spanish Ministry of Culture through its Directorate General for Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts, INTBAU Spain, and the Spanish High Council of Institutes of Architects, is now open.

The Home of Shadows / Edition #3

Light is one of the most important factors when designing homes, and the use of natural light is vital in creating a space that feels both comfortable, inviting and practical. It could be said that lighting is a form of language that architects can use to communicate emotions in the spaces and structures they design.

Kinderspace: Architecture for Children's Development / Edition #2

Introducing the Kinderspace: Architecture for Children's Development competition / Edition #2, an architectural challenge dedicated to crafting innovative educational spaces that enhance early childhood learning. As young children navigate their formative years, the environment in which they learn plays a pivotal role in their cognitive, emotional, and social development. Traditional educational settings often do not fully cater to the dynamism of early childhood, potentially stifling creativity and exploration.

The Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial / Edition 5

With the future in such a state of uncertainty and political relationships more strained than ever, there is one silent threat that could end up being more deadly and dangerous to humanity than a hundred pandemics: nuclear weapons.

Hospice - Home for Terminally Ill #4

Introducing the third edition of the Hospice – Home for the Terminally Ill Competition, an evolving architectural ideas contest dedicated to crafting sanctuaries for those grappling with terminal illnesses.

The Architect's Chair / Edition #3

Introducing the Architect's Chair Competition, an exciting opportunity for architects and designers to showcase their versatility and creativity by designing a signature piece of furniture. Inspired by the long-standing tradition of iconic architects creating custom furniture as an extension of their architectural work, this competition challenges participants to distill their design approach into its core components and represent their unique style in a single piece of furniture – the architect's chair.

INSPIRELI Awards Open for Registration

The world's largest global student architecture competition celebrates a decade of innovation - the 10th Annual INSPIRELI AWARDS is officially open for registration! This prestigious global student competition invites students from all over the world to showcase their creativity and vision. The competition is free to enter and offers an incredible opportunity for aspiring architects and designers.

8th {CURA} Award: Collective Housing for the 21st Century

The 8th {CURA} Prize continues the initiative of hosting idea competitions on themes aligned with current discussions in architecture, the city, and society, with a focus on contemporary Brazil. In a national and global context facing the many consequences of the global climate crisis, this year’s competition theme is Collective Housing for the 21st Century.

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